daf bit: Nedarim 7

[cellio]

(Today's daf is 11. And way too advanced for me.)

The g'mara is talking about placing people under a ban (that is, excommunicating them) and lifting such bans. R. Abba said: I was standing in the presence of R. Chuna when he heard a woman utter God's name in vain. Thereupon he banned her, but immediately lifted the ban in her presence. This proves three things: (1) one who hears his neighbor utter the divine name unnecessarily must ban him; (2) if a rabbi bans a person in his presence the ban must be lifted in his presence too; (3) no time need elapse between the banning and the lifting of the ban. And R. Chanin said in Rav's name that anybody (not just a rabbi) who hears his neighbor utter God's name in vain must place him under a ban or be himself banned. (7b)

I don't know how, in practice, bans actually work(ed). Sure, Reuven can ban Shmuel, but if neither of them is a notable person, what effect does that have?

Comments

[eub.livejournal.com]

The ban/unban is because one must place a ban, but leaving it active is not appropriate for this offense?

[cellio]

I guess so, but I'm not sure whether they always unban or there are special considerations. (I couldn't find the answer in the next few pages here, but that doesn't mean it isn't out there somewhere...)